A formless mindset changes everything
Published in Personal Growth
Mar 31, 2024 (Medium.com)
Don’t resist the flow. Become the flow.
I’ve been saying this to the people close to me for years.
I learnt it from Bruce Lee’s life-changing advice;
It’s like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.
Resistance is futile.
Ever wondered why that matters?
Resistance leads to exhaustion and disharmony.
The way of water is a massive wisdom for life.
I’ve learned it the hard way.
I resisted a difficult conversation for too long. The consequences? Unnecessary mental stress I could have avoided. Holding on to regrets or refusing to let go of past relationships has a mental cost.
Trying to micromanage everything and everyone around you will only multiply your frustrations. It’s mentally draining.
When things don’t go according to your rigid plan, the sense of powerlessness can only get worse.
Empty your mind.
Learn to identify the natural flow of situations and align yourself with it. It doesn’t mean giving up control — it’s about using your energy to move with the current, not against it.
Think of a bamboo stalk.
It’s not the stiffest tree that survives a storm, but the one that can bend without snapping. Our ability to adapt and flow allows us to weather the challenges and emerge stronger.
A river teaches us the art of adjustment.
It finds a way around the rock, through cracks or by carving a new path. It’s extremely applicable in life. Flow opportunities make life easier. Detours, obstacles and setbacks are always the way forward.
You are all of life’s experiences, ever-changing, ever-evolving. You are life itself. But the only way to make it worthwhile is to engage meaningfully.
Going through the motions without truly engaging with life can leave you feeling empty and unfulfilled.
A formless mindset changes everything
First things first: let’s talk about your source.
Every river has a starting point, a wellspring that feeds the flow. What’s yours? Is it a childhood passion, a burning curiosity or a core value?
You also flow alongside others — friends, family, and even authors who influence your habits. These are your tributaries, feeding your journey love, growth and confidence. Diverse perspectives improve your flow experience.
Identifying your source gives you your river, life, direction, and purpose. Use your sources to recharge, gain perspective, and appreciate your unique flow.
Heraclitus, the ancient Greek philosopher, famously said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”
Even if you step into a river twice at the same spot, the water you’re touching will be different because the river has constantly flowed.
Similarly, you, the person stepping in, have changed in some way since the last time. The path ahead is a river, ever-flowing and ever-changing. We are not the same people who step into its waters twice.
Every moment we experience changes us.
We learn, grow, and our perspectives shift. Even physically, our bodies are constantly renewing cells.
You are not flowing through time the same way every day. New experiences, relationships, and knowledge alter your course.
Don’t resist them.
Leverage them to your advantage.
A river doesn’t flow in a straight line. It forges its own path, adapting to the landscape. Life is the same. Don’t get hung up on a rigid plan.
Be flexible. The detours will strengthen your flow.
Every decision, big or small, alters your course. Will you take that risky career leap? Will you mend that broken friendship? Each choice is a new source feeding into your life, shaping who you become.
A river never truly ends.
It might merge with a larger body of water, but the cycle continues. Even after your physical life ends, your experiences, the ripples you create, will continue to influence the world.
Be like water, my friend and life will flow with you. If you are not happy with your flow, adjust course.
Find your river within.
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Written by Thomas Oppong
·Writer for Personal Growth
Making the wisdom of great thinkers instantly accessible. As seen on Forbes, Inc. and Business Insider. For my popular essays, go here: https://thomasoppong.com